Clutch



Aug. 10, 1937. c. M. EASON 2,089,786

C LUTCH' Filed June 21, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 10, 1937. v c, EASQN 2.089.786

CLUTCH Filed June 21, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 V/ I v 7 WW M Patented Aug. 10,1931 v V 2,089,786

' Clarence M. E8803,W$tlllk8h, Wis, assignor to Industrial Clutch Gompany, Waukesha, Win, a corporation of Wlsco Application June 21, 193%, Serial No. 731,614

19 E. (i. l9266) This invention relates to clutches, and is more surfaces and clutch torque-transmitting strucparticularly directed to clutches of the cone type ture, this cooling means also serving to withdraw used in connection with engines and the like, the small particles ocf material constantly. befor clutching a power take-oft shaft, or driven ing broken away between the clutch surfaces.

shaft, to the drive shaft of the engine. This cooling means is operated by rotation or 5 In providing such a structure, wherein two the clutch itself, and adds no unnecessary reindependently mounted shaftseach carried rigstrictions or structure to' the simplified clutch idly in its own bearings, are brought together t uct in coaxial aligned position, it has been found A further feature of the present invention rethat, because of practical limitations, it is ordisides in the provision of an abutment plate for 10 narily not possible to align the two shafts pera spring-loaded type of cone clutch which is iectly, and consequently some misalignment usmounted in a. bearing in the flywheel, and which ually occurs. This misalignment produces is retained against outward movement. Also, stresses which are impressedeither on the shafts t e p e t construction Provides for 110 end or on the clutch, resulting in lo wear and thrust being delivered to this bearing except when 15 rapid eventual destruction of these members. the clutch is engaged, at which time the inner The present invention overcomes these disadand outer races of the bearing both revolve tovantages by providing a clutch construction gether- 1 which will permit slight coaxial misalignment of Ano her advan s r y the present in- 0 the driving and driven shafts without the deventlon is the provision of a clutch structure in structive efiects heretofore noticed. which there is never, either in engaged or disen- In a preferred embodiment of the invention, gaged Position, y e d thrust upon the drivi this is accomplished by entirely separating the driven membersdriven member of the clutch and the driven ther Objects and advantages of the p ese shaft, the driving connection between th t invention will appear more fully from the followbeing through the medium of plastic or yielding ing detailed description which, taken in connecv bushings of rubber, or similar composition, tion with the accompanying drawings, will dis- I'hesebushings absorb within themselves, by inclose to those skilled in the art the construction termolecular stressing, the unavoidable osciland Operation of a Preferred form of my invenlatory movement between the driven clutch 30 member, which is concentric with the drive In the drawings: shaft, and the driven shaft, due to slight mis- Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the alignment of the axes of these shafts. driven parts of a clutch e bo yi t e p nt The driven clutch member, the abutment invention; r plate, and the thrust applying means of th Figure '2 is a vertical sectional view of the 35 present clutch structure, when i engaged 1. clutch, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, showtion, constitute an integral part of the flywheel, s h t h in p in position in a f yw el concentric therewith, and in which there can be strlwture; no possible relative metal-to-metal movement. ur 3 is a V ca S c onal View Of a modi- 0 'this unit is then coupled t th sp1de r r torque fled form of clutch structure embodying the pres- 40 transmitting member keyed to the driven shaft, ent invention, and through the resilient yielding bushing members Figure 4 is a fragmenta y v tical Sect onal for absorbing relative movement therebetween View slwwing the manner in which @118 abutment due to possible coaxi l i li t of t plate is associated with the pilot bearing of the hams. clutch shown in Figures 1 and 2. 45

The r t invention gon'templates t app- Referring now more in detail to the drawings, cation of this separation of the driven clutch in Figures 1 and 2 I have ow pi in -loaded member from the driven shaft, in clutches of type of cone clutch embodying the principles of both the spring-loaded type and those or the the nresentinventlm toggle opemed type as well as other types of In this embodiment a flywheel is indicated at 50 clutch daructures in which it may be employed, In, and is provided with an overhanging enclos- Another. feature of the present, invention, 1; ing framel2. The flywheel III is bolted t0 the the provision, in larger sizes of clutches of. the crankshaft l3 in the usual manner, as by bolts 1 heavy duty type which are partially enclosed, 01 ll. Disposed centrally in the flywheel I0 is a means for effecting cooling of the clutch cone pilot bearing, shown generally at l5, comprising-55 a ball bearing assembly held in position within a retaining ring member l6 secured to the flywheel by means of bolts l1.

A clutch abutment plate 18, having a central hub portion l9 mounted within the inner race of the ball bearing I5, is mounted inposition concentrically with the flywheel l0 and is provided with a radially extendingannular surface 20 having a plurality of spaced circumferential openings therein receiving bolt members 22,

which bolt members extend through openings in the cone clutch driven member 23, and serve as supports for a plurality of loading springs 24,

' these loading springs being preferably distributed about the periphery of the plate. The hub portion 19 is made up separately of the plate l8 and the hub l9 and plate III are integrally joined by welding at l8 as shown in Figure 4. A snap ring l9 retains the hub I9 in the bearing I5.

The cone clutch driven member 23 is provided with a friction surface or lining 25, of usual construction, which engages the inner surface 26 of the flywheel III, the member 23 being axially reciprocable to be engaged with or disengaged from the surface 26.

As will be apparent, the member 23 is, when in engaged position, disposed concentrically with respect to the shaft. l3. In addition, the plate I8 is provided with extending supporting lugs 21, which form pivots 28 for a plurality of bell crank levers 29 mounted thereon, these levers having one arm 3!] thereof engaging in suitable cut-out portions 3| of the radially extending portion of the member 23, and the bell crank members 29 being rotatable about thepivots 28 to draw the clutch member outwardly of the flywheel III for disengaging the same. The outer end 33 of the bell crank'29 is provided with a camming surface adapted to engage the camming surface 34 of an actuating member 35 keyed, as at 36, to the driven shaft 31.

Keyed upon the inner end of the shaft 31 is a spider member 38 having a hub portion 39 secured against endwise movement with respect to the shaft 31 by means of a lock nut 40. The spider 38 is provided with a plurality of extending arm portions, as shown in detail in Figure 1, which are adapted to receive connecting studs 7 v 42 carried'by the driven cone plate 23. The studs .42 are provided with shoulders 43 bearing against bosses, formed on the plate 23, and, at their outer ends, are provided with collar members 45 secured in position by the locking nuts 46.

42 are flexible yielding bushing members 41,

formed of rubber or similar composition, which are compressed tightly between the shoulder 43 and the collar 45, and are adapted to be enclosed by bushing members or sleeves 48, formed of bronze or other bearing material, which have relative sliding engagement in the sockets 49 formed in the extending arms of the spider.

The member 35 is slidable axially of the shaft 31 upon the spline 36, "and is actuated by means of the clutch yoke collar 50, mounted upon the annular flange 52 of the hub portion of the member 35, which yoke collar 59 is adapted to be engaged by the arm 53 of a clutch operating lever 54 pivoted at 55 for throwing the clutch into and out of engagement. Thus, when the member 35 is moved outwardly axially along the shaft 31,

' the cam 33 is adapted to ride down the surface 34, withdrawing the arm 30 from engagement within the cut-out portion 3| at the inner end of the radially flanged portion of the cone clutch camming surface 34 engages the surface 33 of one arm of the bell crank 29 and raises this arm, tending to force the arm 30 against the boss 56 formed at the inner defining edge of the member 23, and thus cams the plate 23 outwardly against the springs 24, to disengage the clutch. In practice, ltis ordinarily impossible to align the shaft 31 exactly coaxially with the shaft l3,

and consequently some misalignment between the axes of the two shafts occurs. This results in producing stresses between the driven clutch member 23 and the spider 3B which transmits the torque to the shaft 31. If the shafts are perfectly aligned there is only the metal-to--metal contact between the bronze bushings 48 and the inner defining surface of the sockets 49 of the arms of the spider 38, and the torque is transmitted therethrough. The bushing 48 has metal-to-metal sliding engagement within the socket 49 for transmitting axial thrusts only, but immediately upon application of any angular torque upon the bushings they become stationary with respect to the spider, and further stresses are taken up within the body of the plastic bushings 41.

Thus, during normal endwise movement of the cone for the purpose of disengaging or adjusting the same, the bushings slide in the spider, but,

upon the imposition of torque during rotation of the cone 23 with the flywheel l0, and as a result of any slight misalignment, which is inevitable with installations of this sort, the drive is transmitted through the plastic bushings 41, which accommodate or take up any stresses due to the uneven torque produced by such misalign-.

ment. Thus, the engaging surfaces of the clutch are not displaced relative to each other and a uniform contact between these surfaces is maintained at all times, and in spite of misalignment betweenv the driving and driven shafts. Due to the fact that any sliding engagement of the cone 23 axially with respect to the driven shaft 31 is taken up by the sliding of the bushings 48 in the openings 49 of the spider, and due to thefact that when the clutch is engaged the pilot bearing takes up any load, at which time both the inner and outer races thereof are stationary with respect to each other, there is never, at any time, any end thrust uponthe driving or driven members, whether the clutch is engaged or disengaged.

This construction thus provides for a uniform engagement of the cone plate 23 with the flytending to flex either the shaftsor the cone structure, will be taken up by the plastic intermolecuiaryieldingof the bushings 41, the cone driven member and the driven shaft being thus separated, mechanically, by yielding bushings.

Referring now to Figure 3, I have provided a similar construction for use in connection with toggle-operated clutches.

In this embodiment the drive shaft or crank shaft of the engine is indicated at 68, and is provided with a flange portion 62 bolted to the flywheel 63, which flywheel is provided with a clutch engaging surface 64, and with a disc-like closure plate and barrier member 65, bolted, at its periphery, by means of bolts 66 to the flywheel, and rotatable therewith.

The driven shaft is indicated at 61 and is provided with a tapered portion at its inner end,

indicated at 68, upon which is mounted the hub 69 of a spider ill, the hub 69 being keyed to the shaft 61 for conjoint rotation therewith. A look nut IZsecures the spider 18 in position upon the shaft 61. 1

A cone clutch plate is indicated at 15, having the friction engaging surface 16 which is adapted to engage the surface 64 of the flywheel 63, and provided with a radially inwardly extending portion '11 which extends downwardly and about the hub 69 of the spider 18. The portion H of the plate 15 is adapted to carry shouldered stud members I8, which are provided with a shoulder 19 bearing against the outer surface of the portion 11 and held in firm engagement therewith by means of the lock nut secured at its outer end and bearing against the inner surface of the portion TI.

The shank portion of the stud 18 extends through a suitable opening formed in the spider .posed circumferentially about the plate 83, is a plastic, yielding bushing 85, corresponding tothe bushing fl ofthe embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2; which'is compressed between the shoul der 19"andthe' shoulder 82, and which is adapted to be'en'closed' within a metallic bushing member 88, such "as the bronze bushing 48 of the em bodinient of Figures '1 and 2, which bushing membe'rs' haverelative sliding engagement in the openings formed in the spider'lfl.

The operating means for the clutch structure comprises the hub 13, which is threaded, as shown at 88', into the plate 65 for the-purpose of -ad'-' justrnent' and to'take up wear as the lining 18 of the cone clutch member wears away, and conventional clutch operating toggles 89 and pressure levers 90, conjointly pivoted at 92, are pro-1 vided, the members 90 havingfengag ement in the floating ring 93 and, through'thrust washer 94, to the abutment plate 83. Thus, upon actuation of the toggle links 89, pressure is trans-. mitted through the arms 90'to the floating ring 93 and from the ring through the washer 94 to the abutment plate 83. From the abutment plate; 83, axial pressure'is transmitted through thestuds, 'I8to the plate portion 1] of the clutch en'iterta'm engage the clutch member with the surfac'e iid If the shafts BUand G'I are in alignment thebronze bushings. 86 will have relative sliding engagement withrespect to the spider 10, to provide for engagement a d diseneas m nt o th? clutch 1e adaptable to larger sized clutches, such as provided for in heavy duty air compressors, oil well machinery, and similar equipment.

The spider I0, in place of a three-arm spider such as shown in the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, is in the form of a continuous disc with a plurality of bosses for receiving from eight to twelve plastic bushings. Preferably, a plurality of spring members, indicated at 85, are biased within suitable recesses formed in the spider E8, and bear against the inner surface of the plate 83 for urging the same outwardly to release the clutch and to maintain a relatively light engagement between the thrust washer 96 and the floating ring 93. The slidable actuating member 96, mounted upon the hub 13, is actuated in a suitable manner by a clutch actuating yoke 91,- and is limited in its outer movement by means of the annular ring member 08, which limits the throw of the clutch actuating member 96.

Inasmuch as the plate 65 substantially encloses the clutch operating mechanism it is desirable to provide some means for ventilating the same. This is accomplished, in the present invention,

' by means of a. plurality of cut-away openings 90 are pivoted, into the interior of the clutch I structure and past the floating ring 83, as shown by the arrows in Figure 3. This air is sucked outwardly through the openings Hill and serves to "cool," to some extent, the interior of the clutch structure.

At the same time, as is well known, a con 'siderable mass of small particles, caused by the ings Hill are large enough to allow for exhausting of these particles through these openings with the air stream. in order to maintain the interior of the clutch housing as clean as possible. 7 It is desirable to remove these particles,"since they have a tendency to wad up" or conglomerate into masses which prevent eflicient operation of the clutch.

It will be noted, in connection with this embodi mentfthat the drive shaft 68, the flywheel 63, and the'cone clutch member 15 rotate as a. unit about an axis coaxial with the axis of the'shaft .60. The drive from the cone clutch member IE to the spider 10 for the driven shaft 81 is transthese stresses accommodating this misalignment.

without producing-any flexing of the shafts or of the cone clutch structure. Axial thrusts, for

engagement and disengagement of the clutch, are accommodated by sliding movement between the; bushings 86 and thesockets formed in the spider Ill. The springs I! serve to retract-,the clutch from engaged position by imposing an axial. outward stress upon the studs I8 when the toggle operating levers are released, which tends to draw the studs 18, together with the bushings 86, outwardly with respect to the spider 10, to move the cone clutch plate I outwardly with respect tothe flywheel 63. This is accommodated by metal-to-metal sliding engagement of ,the bushings 86 with respect to the spider sockets.

It is therefore apparent that I have provided a clutch structure in which the cone driven clutch member is coupled, as an integral unit, to the flywheel and rotates as a unit therewith, the transmission of torque from the cone clutch driven member to the driven shaft being through elastic or yielding means which tends to absorb any unequalized stresses therein, caused by misalignment of the shafts.

Having described my invention in accordance with the patent statutes, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. Coupling means for connecting a driven clutch member to a driven shaft comprising a spider keyed on said shaft, said spider having spaced openings therein, studs on said clutch member extending into said openings, plastic bushings on said studs, means at all times ad- 'ustable on said studs for placing said bushings under axial pressure, and metal bushings enclosing said plastic bushings and slidable in said openings. v

2. In combination, a flywheel having a clutch surface, a pilot bearing in said flywheel coaxial thereof, an abutment plate having a hub portion engaging in said pilot bearing, a clutch member, a driven shaft, a spider keyed to said driven shaft and having radially extending arms, means carried by said clutch member for supporting said member on said spider, said clutch member being adapted to engage said flywheel clutch surface and to rotate as a unit therewith, and yielding means interposed between said supporting means and said spider for accomodating inaccuracies of alinement between said flywheel and said driven shaft. I

3. In combination, a'flywheel, a clutch member adapted to have clutching engagement with said flywheel, a driven shaft, a spider keyed thereto,

an abutment plate surrounding said shaft, studs carried byv said clutch member and extending through openings in said spider to said abutment plate, shoulders on said studs, resilient deformable bushings interposed between said studs and said spider openings and axially compressed ber tween said shoulders, metal sleeves enclosing said in said openings,

4. In a cone friction clutch, a driving member having a conical clutch surface, a shiftable clutch member having a conical clutch surface for cooperation with the conical clutch surfaceof said driving member and a radiallyextending portion,

- a driven shaft. a member connected to turn with said driven shaft and extending radially along one side of the radially extending portion of said shiftable clutch member and provided with openings, studsmarriedby said .clutch member and absence ing said clutch member in one direction, andmeans for shifting said clutch member in the opposite direction.

5. In a cone friction clutch, a driving mend-g her having a conical clutch surface, a Shiftable clutch member having a conical clutch surface I for cooperation with the conical clutch surface of said driving member and a radially extending portion, a driven shaft, a member connected to turn with said driven shaft and extending radial- 1y along one side of the radially extending portion of said shiftable clutch member and provided with openings, sleeve members shiftably mounted in said openings, studs carried by said clutch member and extending into said sleeve members, and resilient bushings disposed in said shiftable sleeve members and about said studs for transmitting torque from said clutch member to said driven member.

6. In a clutch of the class described, a drive shaft, a flywheel rotatable therewith and having a conical clutch surface, a driven shaft, a cone clutch member adapted to have axial movement into engagement with said conical clutch surface, a spider member keyed to said driven shaft, bushingholders having relatively low coefficients of friction and slidable freely in one of said last two members, and bushings of resilient material mounted in said holders and compressed 'endwise into binding engagement therewith to be held against movement relative to said holders, said bushings connecting said clutch plate to said spider to transmit torque thereto for driving said driven shaft.

7. In combination, a drive shaft, a flywheel rosurface, a driven shaft coaxial with respect to said drive shaft, a driven clutch member movable axially into and out of engagementwith the clutch surface of said flywheel, spring means for moving said driven clutch member into engagement with the clutch surface of the flywheel, a pilot bearing adjacent the axis of the flywheel and coaxial with said driven shaft, an abutment plate having a hub retained against endwise movement in said pilot bearing, a retainer for said pilot bearing, and means externally of said pilot bearing and externally of the endwise retention of the hub of said abutment plate in said pilot bearing for securing the. retainer for said pilot bearing to said flywheel.

8. In combination, a shaft, a clutch member shiftableaxially of said-shaft, a member contatable with said drive shaft and having a clutch nected to turn with said shaft, one of said last two members having an opening therein, a stud connected to the other of said members and extending into said opening, a metal sleeve slidably bearing in said opening, and abushing of resilient deformable material disposed in said sleeve and about said stud for transmitting torque from said clutch member to said shaft, said bushing being held against endwise movement on the stud and compressed axially into binding engagement with the sleeve whereby said bushing, sleeve and stud are shiitable as a unit axially with respect to said opening and on the slidable bearing of said sleeve in said opening when said clutch member is shifted axially.

9. In combination, a first member, a second member, one of said members having an opening therein, a' stud connected to.--the other memberand extending into said opening, a metal sleeve bearing in said opening, a bushing of resilient deformable material disposed in said sleeve and surrounding said stud. for transmitting torque from one of said members to the other member, said bushing being held endwise upon the stud and pressed into binding engagement with the sleeve whereby the bushing, stud and sleeve are shiftable as a unit in, said opening and upon the slidable bearing of said sleeve in said opening to permit free axial shifting movement of one of said first two members with respect to the other of said members.

10. In combination, a driving member having I a clutch surface, a coaxial driven member, a

clutch member shiftable into and out of engagement with the clutch surface of said driving member, an abutment plate disposed between the driving member and the shiftable clutch member, bolts having abutments cooperating with said plate, said bolts extending through said shiftable clutch member and having second abutments spaced from said first abutments, loading springs coiled about said bolts andconfined endwise between the shiftable clutch member and said second abutments, supports fixed arms coasting with said last abutment means and generally axially extending arms, and means shiftable axially along the driven member for camming thegenerally axially extending arms of said bell crank levers generally radially to disengage the clutch by'the coaction of the radially extending arms of said levers with the abutment means at the inner periphery of the shiftable clutch member.

11. In combination, a driving member having a clutch surface, a coaxial driven member, a pilot bearing mounted at the axis of said driven member, a clutch member shiftable into and out of engagement with the .clutch surface of said driving member, an abutment plate interposed between the driving member and the shiftable clutchmember and held against endwise movement in said pilot bearing, bolts having abutments cooperating with said plate, said bolts extending through said shiftable clutch member and having second abutments spaced from said first abutments, loading springs coiled about said bolts and confined endwise between the shiftable clutch member and said second abutments, supports fixed to. said abutment plate and extending through said shiftable clutch member, abutment means at the inner periphery of the shiftable clutch member, bell crank levers pivoted upon said supports and having generally radially extending arms coacting with said abutment a clutch surface, a ,coaxial driven member, a'

pilot bearing mounted at the axis of said driving member, a clutch member shiftable into and out of engagement with theolutch surface of said driving member, an abutment plate interposed between the driving member and the shiftable clutch member and held against endwise movement in said pilot bearing, bolts having abutments cooperating with said plate, said bolts extending through said shiftable clutch member and having second abutments spaced from said first abutments, loading springs coiled about said bolts and confined endwise between the shiftable clutch-member and said second abutments, supports fixed to said abutment plate and extendin through said shiftable clutch member, abutment means at the inner periphery of the shiftable clutch member, bell crank levers pivoted upon said supports and having generally radially extending arms meeting with said abutment means .and generally axially extending arms, means shiftable axially along the driven member for cammingthe generally axially extending arms of said bell crank levers generally radially to disengage the clutch by the coaction of the radially extending arms of said levers with the abutment means at the inner periphery of the shiftable clutch member, a spider keyed to the driven member and having openings therein, studs oh said shiftable clutch member and extending into said openings, bushings of resilient material on said studs, and metal sleeves enclosing said bushings and slidable in said openings.

13. In combination, a shaft, a clutch member shiftable axially of said shaft, a member connected to turn with said shaft, one of said last two members having an opening therein, a stud connected to the other of said members and ex tending into said opening, a metal sleeve slidably bearing in said opening, a rubber bushing disposed in said sleeve and about said stud for transmitting torque from said clutch member to said shaft, and means for holding said bushing against axial movement on said stud. I

14. In a clutch of the class described, a driven shaft, a spider keyed thereto, a clutch member shiftable axially of said shaft, studs carried by said clutch member, said spider having openings adapted to receive said studs, bushings of deformable resilient material disposed about said studs, ,and metal sleeves enclosing said bushings and mounted for sliding movement in said opening ber and shiftable with respect thereto in a direction along the axis of said shaft, a stud carried by said driven clutch member and extending into said sleeve, and a bushing of resilient deformable material disposed in said shiftable sleeve and about said stud for transmitting torque from said driven clutch member to said driven shaft, said bushing being compressed endwise to ,bind the sleeve, stud and bushing together for axial movement as aunit in respect to the member connected to turn with said driven shaft.

16. In combination, a. pair of coaxial members one shiftable axially with respect to the other, one of said members having an opening therein,

. a stud connected to the other of said members and extending into said opening, a sleeve slidably bearing in said opening, a resilient bushing disposed in said sleeve and about said stud for transmitting torque from one of said members to the other a member, and means for compressing said bushing endwise so as to hold said bushing, sleeve,

' and stud against relative movement, the slidable bearing of said sleeve in said opening allowing relative axial movement between one of said members and said bushing, sleeve, and stud as a unit.

1'7. In combination, a pair of coaxial members one shiftable axially with respect to the other,

7 10 one of said members having an opening therein,

a stud connected to the other of said members and extending into said opening, a sleeve slidably bearing in said opening, and a bushing of resilient material disposed in said'sleeve and about said stud for transmitting torque from one of said members to'the other member, said bushing absorbing stresses imposed by misalignment and compressed endwise to bind the sleeve, stud, and bushing together against relative movement.

18. In combination, a pair of coaxial members axially spaced and one shiftable axially with respect to the other, one of said members having an opening therein, a stud connected to the other of said members and extending into said opening, a sleeve movably mounted in said opening and a resilient bushing disposed in said sleeve and about said stud for transmitting torque from one of the members to the other member, and

means on said stud for holding said bushing against movement relative thereto and allowing relative axial movement between one of said members and said bushing and sleeve.

19. In combination, a driving member having a clutch surface, a coaxial driven member, a clutch member shiftable into and out of engagement with the clutch surface of said driving member, a plate member rotatable with the shiftable clutch member, loading spring means acting against said .plate member and said shiftable clutch member for urging the latter toward said clutch surface, supports fixed to said plate member and extending through said shift'able clutch member, abutment means at the inner periphery of the shiftable clutch member, bell crank levers pivoted upon said supports and having generally radially extending arms coacting with said last abutment means and generally axially extending arms, and means shiftable axially along the driven member for camming the generally axially extending arms of said bell crank levers generally radially to disengage the clutch against the action of said loadingspring means by the coaction of the radially extending arms of said levers with the abutment 'means at the'inner periphery of the shiftable clutch member.

- CLARENCE M. EASON. 

